Fan auctions off unwashed urinals from the legendary Hacienda

06/09/2013

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We’ve heard of random memorabilia, but this one takes the cake. Or perhaps we should say ‘takes the urinal cake’. A dedicated fan with a nose for eBay mercantilism has decided to start auctioning off the urinals from Manchester’s legendary Hacienda club. The Hacienda is a truly seminal venue in British club culture. Founded by Tony Wilson, the man behind the hugely influential Factory Records, the Hacienda opened its doors in 1982 with Wilson and the band New Order as musical directors.

A vast panoply of stars played the Hacienda in its mid 80’s glory days as the club help set the tone for the cutting edge of music. Madonna gave her first ever UK performance there in 1984 while The Smiths brought the house down in 1983. As the end of the decade neared, The Hacienda was instrumental in the two biggest musical movements of the time – acid house and the indie explosion as it remained the beating heart of ‘Madchester’.

Mike Shepherd, the enterprising urinal collector in question said the stainless steel urinals had not been washed since he bought them following the closure of the nightspot in the northwestern English city in 1997. This apparently gives them extra value – possibly in the form of a rancid odour. The urinal – along with a collection of records and posters are on sale at eBay with a starting price of £ 15,000, though one can’t help but feel that the records and posters are but a token gesture to pad out the real, urine soaked star of the show.

"These are the urine stains of Manchester music history. That one on the left could by Morrissey's, the one on the right could by Anthony Wilson," said Shepherd.

Having helped cement Manchester’s place in musical history, the club sadly closed in 1997 mired in debt and has been replaced by a block of flats – but even the developers couldn’t resist a nod to the legacy of the club and named the building ‘The Hacienda Apartments’